"We will take as long as necessary to get it right," he said, adding that the study will reveal what needs to be done and in what order.

"We're certainly excited to work together," Young said. "We have enormous respect for the trustees and the faculty and staff at Dixie, and a real passion to make the best education possible available to as many students as can take advantage of it in the state. So this could be an exciting enterprise."

Dixie's Trustees pitched a fully integrated affiliation in which the school would essentially become an enterprise of the U. But Young said the study could set forth different priorities, even eliciting less involvement from the Salt Lake institution.

With Southern Utah University only 45 miles away from Dixie, Utah Commissioner of Higher Education Rich Kendell cautioned the task force to consider any impact to that school.

"They must play complementary roles as far as not competing for the same students and the same budget," he said.

Regardless of the outcome, Kendell said Dixie must continue to offer more one-year degrees and be consistent with the workforce needs within southern Utah. He said the plan is being carried forth as a collaborative effort of the U., Dixie State College and the Board of Regents, which ultimately will make a decision on the issue.

"It's a provocative idea that is more complicated that anyone could have anticipated," Kendell said.

Ryan Wright, 25, a 2006 Dixie State College graduate and former member of the football team, said he supports the concept of an affiliation with the University of Utah, but doesn't support losing Dixie's name in the process.

"Dixie was awesome. It was a great experience and it would be great to bring more degrees here," Wright said. "They just want Dixie State College to become a university too fast. If anything, leave the name Dixie in it."

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E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com; nperkins@desnews.com